316 Report of Meetings for 1891. By Dr J. Hardy. 



compelled every one to seek shelter in the adjacent out-houses. 

 This was very provoking with the hill-glens we had come to 

 explore, in immediate prospect, and at only two or three fields 

 breadth distance. At length the rain grew thinner, and a party 

 mustered, determined to brave the consequences. I ventured to 

 accompany them as far as the vestibule, which certainly was 

 dripping wet from the long ferns, and the pendant birch 

 branches. The numerous mosses both on the rocks and on the 

 paved burn channel, moistened by the rain, had become vividly 

 green. Speedily the botanists were at work, bringing out 

 Farnassia pahistris, Polypodium Phegopteris, and P. Dryopteris, 

 Cistopteris fragilis, and wreaths of Ruhua saxatilis, with its 

 shining red berries. The gate of the Fairy palace being 

 unclosed, Dr Stuart took the guidance, and Mr Bosanquet and I 

 returned to order out the carriages to meet the adventurers. All 

 fears of rain were now dissipated. A crowd of new comers, 

 arrivals by later trains, met us ; but the day was so far gone 

 that those who earlier "took to the bent," must have then been 

 clambering down the steeps of Shippath, a feat by no means 

 easily accomplished, with the feet on very unsafe holding, on 

 each side of a rent, some feet above the not very shallow pools 

 of the burn that trinkles between. No one regretted having 

 gone, and there was much self-congratulation afterwards. 



Professor James Geikie, who accepts Dr Croll's " Theory of 

 the Eccentricity of the Ecliptic," is of opinion that the Berwick- 

 shire and East Lothian Breccias, of which there are such grand 

 displays in the deans visited to-day are the glacial, and fluvio- 

 glacial detritus of the Old Red Sandstone ago. It is wonderful 

 that even in the present age, vegetation manages to subsist 

 among the barren crevices here. The entire series of these wild 

 glens, and their scenery, is described in the Club's Proceedings, 

 ubi sup., pp. 77-99; 188-192. 



In returning across the fields an abundance was remarked of 

 Prunella vulgaris, Mentha arvcmis, and Stachys palustris. I 

 expected Ga,leopsis versicolor among the turnips, but only G. 

 Tetrahit appeared. There is much Sinapis arvensis among the 

 corn. A numerous assemblage of Lapwings was feeding on the 

 pastures. 



As there was no visible peat-moss, the question was put how 

 the people here long ago got fuel. It appears that there is a 

 famous peatery beyond the hill-ridge. The way to it called the 



